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Houserules & Tas's map

Please make note if you quote anything from the Dragonlance novels or the module if you have it.

Things I quote from the books will appear like this. And I will be using it mostly to add to the fluff of an area like Solace vale coming up shortly.

Things I quote from the module will appear like this and will probably just be the stuff the tell you as a DM to read out loud to players.

Combat

For the moment I believe we wil be using combat as it is in the PHB and DMG. I think this the best to start as I have not used THAC0 and reverse saves in a long time. As we move along we can add options presented in other books like the Complete Figthers Guide. When that happens they will be listed here.

Experience

I will not be using the experience point system as presented in 2nd edition. For this game it seems that each module gives enough experience for each character to level up at it's conculsion, so that is how characters will level up. I will give you a generic goal of the module that can be completed in any way you as a group wish, and once complete you will be rewarded a level up. Let's start...

Adventure Goal:
DL1: Help in the recovery of the Disk of Mishakal by the forces of light.

Cantile of the Dragon

Hear the sage as his song descends
like heaven?s rain or tears,
and washes the years, the dust of the many stories
from the High Tale of the Dragonlance.
For in ages deep, past memory and word,
in the first blush of the world
when the three moons rose from the lap of the forest,
dragons, terrible and great
made war on this world of Krynn.

Yet out of the darkness of dragons,
out of our cries for light
in the blank face of the black moon soaring,
a banked light flared in Solamnia,
a knight of truth and of power,
who called down the gods themselves
and forged the mighty Dragonlance, piercing the soul
of dragonkind, driving the shade of their wings
from the brightening shores of Krynn.

Thus Huma, Knight of Solamnia,
Lightbringer, First Lancer,
followed his light to the foot of the Khalkist Mountains,
to the stone feet of the gods,
to the crouched silence of their temple.
He called down the Lancemakers, he took on
their unspeakable power to crush the unspeakable evil,
to thrust the coiling darkness
back down the tunnel of the dragon's throat.

Paladine, the Great God of Good
shone at the side of Huma,
strengthening the lance of his strong right arm,
and Huma, ablaze in a thousand moons,
banished the Queen of Darkness,
banished the swarm of her shrieking hosts
back to the senseless kingdom of death, where their curses
swooped upon nothing and nothing
deep below the brightening land.

Thus ended in thunder the Age of Dreams
and began the Age of Might,
When Istar, kingdom of light and truth, arose in the east,
where minarets of white and gold
spired to the sun and to the sun?s glory,
announcing the passing of evil,
and Istar, who mothered and cradled the long summers of good,
shone like a meteor
in the white skies of the just.

Yet in the fullness of sunlight
the Kingpriest of Istar saw shadows:
At night he saw the trees as things with daggers, the streams
blackened and thickened under the silent moon.
He searched books for the paths of Huma
for scrolls, signs, and spells
so that he, too, might summon the gods, might find
their aid in his holy aims,
might purge the world of sin.

Then came the time of dark and death
as the gods turned from the world.
A mountain of fire crashed like a comet through Istar,
the city split like a skull in the flames,
mountains burst from once-fertile valleys,
seas poured into the graves of mountains,
the deserts sighed on abandoned floors of the seas,
the highways of Krynn erupted
and became the paths of the dead.

Thus began the Age of Despair.
The roads were tangled.
The winds and the sandstorms dwelt in the husks of cities,
The plains and mountains became our home.
As the old gods lost their power,
we called to the blank sky
into the cold, dividing gray to the ears of new gods.
The sky is calm, silent, unmoving.
We have yet to hear their answer.

Tas's map

The map below is one of the many maps Tas has in his pouches. It does not have as much detail as presented here, and some areas are not currently present, like the tower near Prayer's Eye Peak. Please ask if you have any questions about it.

DL1 - Dragons of Despair

Chapter 1: The Road Travels East

The air surges fierce and sweet, carrying the clear musk smell of the woodlands. The soft murmurs of stirring leaves, insects, and small animals fill the landscape. The clear highland sky blushes with the end of the day and fades into starry sleep. This is home.From this rock outcropping the valley below seems peaceful, untouched. Dense forests of pine carpet the mountainsides, broken only by thick aspen woods. The moutains, deep blue in the distance, circle the valley floor and form a soft highland bowl.Five years ago, you and your friends parted to search for a true cleric. Tonight you meet on the road to Solace Town and report on your discoveries.

OOC

Characters present:

Tanis
Flint
Caramon
Raistlin
Sturm
Tas

Please post your character cards that are on your sheets. And chose a speaking color while you are at it. If you wish to add anything you may, or add descriptions/actions if you wish there are large rocks to sit on and woods on both sides of the road.

I've almost forgotten all the places I've been in five years. I wanted to make a map for our travels, but you know how it goes more traveling than mapping. To the north and west the world has changed more terribly than we thought. A sea lies to the north where solid plains once were. Where Ergoth, the great ancient Empire, once stood, ther'?s nothing more than islands. Now I return to Solace and find it run down, ruled by some bunch of rootheads in Haven who call themselves the Seekers. They claim to be a theocracy in search of a god. You figure that out. The way I see it, things have gotten worse since they've been in power.

Tasslehof Burrfoot walks happily on the path back to Solace, a whistling song on his lips he learned on his five year travels. He leans on his hoopak as a walking stick and gazes up at the trees. "And the old ogre's purse..." he finishes the song aloud.

The Kender smiles as he looks up at the tree tops, so high in the sky above him. It's very good to be back home.

I have searched for unseen things these past five years and to avenge the wrongs done to my people. I have little to show for either. Years ago, the Kingdom of Thorbardin in the Southern Kalthax Mountains housed all the dwarves. We Hill Dwarves lived above ground and produced the food for the Mountain Dwarves in the kingdoms below. They gave us fine metalwork in return. But when the Cataclysm came and we rushed for the safety of the underground city of the Mountain Dwarves, they closed the gates, leaving us to the wrath of the gods. I searched for the Great Doors into the underground city, but the mountains had changed. Gully Dwarves caught me, but I escaped, slaying many of the sorry creatures. Curses on the Mountain Dwarves and their cousins in the Gully!

Cresting the last hill before the town proper, Flint gets a good look at the village of Solace, still some distance away. The smell of wood-fires drifting up to meet him. He walks downhill a bit and finds a rock to set his back against as he pulls a small block of wood out of his pack, and unsheathes a small, but very sharp knife.

"I never should have left." the old dwarf grumbles to himself, as he starts carving the block, working quickly to uncover whatever wonderous shape is hidden in the wood. "Nothing but trouble in the wilds. Trouble, and Gully Dwarves. If i never see annother live Gully Dwarf, it'll still be too damned soon." Wood shavings fly as he vents his hatred of the smelly beasts on the task of carving the block. "It's all Thorbardin's fault. If the Mountain Dwarves weren't so fond of inbreeding, the foul wretches wouldn't even exist." Having drawn this conclusion, Flint's mood improves considerably, and is able to finnish bringing the Timber Wolf out of it's wooden cage. Holding up the miniature wolf for inspection, Flint smiles. "Still got the touch."

Caramon sighs, "The travels of me and my brother Raistlin took us over the Kharolis Range, though we moved to the southwest, beyond the realms of the Elves. We searched for the fabled Towers of High Sorcery. Deep in the dark mists that always seem to cover that land, we found those towers that have long been hidden to men. They appeared out of the mists."

When Raistlin orders his tea Caramon replies, "Come on Raist, we'll be at the inn soon. And have some spiced potatoes to go with it."

OOC

hey sappire07 you were to edit in the character card at the bottom the top orange stuff was just fluff. Also I will need spells for the day edited into your post, thanks in advance.

I saw the northern lands when I crossed the sea, escorting our friend Kitiara. Once past the seas we parted-she went east and I went west. I searched for a holy man, but I also sought my birthright. For you see, I know only that my mother fled the northlands when I was young. She carried all my dead father had left her: his sword and his ring. From them I know that he was once a Knight of Solamnia. So I journeyed north to take my fatherĺs place in that good and just order. But the Solamnic Knights have fallen into disfavor with the people there, and no trace of the order remains. Thus my past remains a mystery.

Sturm crosses the hills and approaches Solace alone and in silence. He looks for his old companions, and spotting Caramon, heads over to him while ignoring Raistlin.

I have wandered through forest and wilderness for five years. Through qualinesti west of the kharolis mountains, through the forests of kith-kanan, all the way to the sea. I found no trace of healers, not even tales of them-in my travels. Still, the gods of good must exist: Their signs are everywhere. The white stag led me on good paths, the wheeling bird foretold war, and the thunderclouds warned me of danger. These are the handiwork of the good gods. But i found no cleric to the west.

Tanis travelled to Solace, not paying attention to his surrounding for his mind and heart were elsewhere. He thought about Laurana, Kitiara and his childhood and the absence of gods troubled him greatly. He failed to find the ancient gods and he brought bad news for his friends. Hopefully they brought some good news from far lands.
Hours passed and then reality came back to the Half breed – Solace. Tanis grinned as old memories returned to him. He was so anxious to meet his friends, for good or worse, there is nothing like a good mug of ale with his comrades to set aside agonizing memories.

None of you have found any sign of the true clerics during your travels. But there is still one companion left to return so the group decides to wait a little longer for Kitiara.

OOC

Updates for this thread are only going to be about once a week from me (probably Tuesdays). Till then you can all RP or wait. You are all together in the area described above so RP your meeting after 5 years of seperation, if you wish.